Tuesday, September 6, 2016

A.E. Smith - Open Archives

If you are researching your family history in Swindon, have you ever thought about contacting the local funeral directors? There is an amazing amount of information available in the funeral accounts and local funeral director A.E. Smith are more than happy to help, as you can see from the above notice.

A.E. Smith was founded around 1880
by Henry Smith a carpenter and joiner. The original premises were situated
in Gordon Road, Swindon near the 1960s magistrates courts.

At the time of the 1911 census
Henry lived at 1 Clifton Street, close to the cemetery where he had spent so
many hours. He died there on November
14, 1917. He left £3,072 17s 6d to be
administered by his three sons. Albert
Edward had taken over the funeral business while James Henry Smith was a
railway official and Joseph William a railway storekeeper.

Henry was buried in Radnor Street
Cemetery on November 17.
The service was conducted by Mr Spargo and naturally the funeral was
performed by his son. Henry lies in plot
D191.

In the mid 1960’s A.E. Smith &
Son moved to their present site in Queens Drive, Swindon and these premises
been expanded and refurbished as the business has continued to grow.

The business finally passed out of
the Smith family in 1976 when it was acquired by Lodge Brothers, another family
firm of funeral directors founded by James Lodge in 1780.

Manager Ian Hanks is interested in the history of the firm and is very happy to help family
historians with their enquiries.

A E Smith premises at Gordon Road

A E Smith, Queens Drive

pages from Henry's account books

Henry's grave in Radnor Street Cemetery

Smith family photograph. Henry is seated at the centre, the son who took over the business, Albert Edward is standing far left.

And don't forget our next guided cemetery walk at Radnor Street Cemetery is on Sunday September 11 meet at the chapel at 2pm.

Good Gentlewoman

This blog began life as Status, Scandal and Subterfuge, a story about the St John ladies of Lydiard Park, Wiltshire. However, the Ladies have proved so fascinating that I have extended my research to other branches of the family and launched this new website Good Gentlewoman.